Two Western University engineering students have come up with a device that can provide fresh, super-nutritious greens in your kitchen, every day.

Jolien van Gaalen and Richard Lacroix have developed an automated growing system called Migrova.

The Migrova can produce a crop of microgreens on your kitchen counter in a couple of weeks.

Grown from the seeds of small vegetables such as radishes, broccoli and red cabbage, the microgreens are harvested as soon as they reach about 10 cm and the first leaves develop. They are favourites of chefs because of their intense taste.

“The home user can have them on a continuous basis. They are very dense in nutrition,” van Gaalen said.

The microgreens can be used in salads, wraps and smoothies.

The system is capable of growing about half a kilogram of microgreens weekly and is completely hydroponic (soil-free). The irrigation and lighting is automated. All the user has to do is to seed the microgreens. The system can be controlled by an app on a smartphone.

“The system will take care of itself so it’s great for people who are really busy,” said van Gaalen, who grew up on a hydroponic tomato farm operation outside of London.

It took a lot of engineering to keep the system simple, affordable and fast, Lacroix said. That led to the decision to focus on microgreens rather than full-sized vegetables.

“One of the big challenges was producing something that was affordable. We have been pushing to bring the cost well under $200,” Lacroix said.

The Migrova won first place at the Ontario Engineering Competition in the innovative design category. The design went on to snag first place at the Canadian Engineering Competition in the same category.

Van Gaalen and Lacroix are researching ways to get Migrova into production.

Comfort food

The Twisted Toque Social Grill, a new eatery in downtown London, is holding its grand opening Wednesday.

After extensive renovations, the new restaurant opened on the ground floor of a residential building at 186 King St. in the space formerly occupied by The Brass Door. The owners have plans to turn it into a national chain.

The Twisted Toque features classic comfort food items with a Canadian twist such as poutine, back bacon on a bun, lobster egg rolls and maple Pacific salmon.

Canadian beers, such as Creemore, Mill Street, Steam Whistle and London’s own Forked River, are on tap.

Red Pump rates high

The Red Pump, a renowned restaurant in Bayfield, is in elite company.

The Canadian Automobile Association has given the restaurant a rating of four diamonds. The association uses evaluators to rate restaurants on a scale of one to five diamonds. A four-diamond restaurant is upscale with a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail.

Glenn Sheridan, a 30-year veteran of industry, has been executive chef at the Red Pump for three years.

“I set my standards high, and to achieve this diamond rating . . . has been a goal of mine for more years than I can count,” he said.

Harry Israel has owned The Red Pump since 1972 and is celebrating 45 years as a successful restaurateur.

Editing firm plans growth

Chatham-based editing and proofreading company Scribendi Inc. has been acquired by MAGNUM Capital Partners, a private investment firm led by Patricia Riopel and Enrico Magnani.

Current Scribendi president and Chatham native Chandra Clarke founded the company in 1997. She and her husband Terry Johnson, who is vice-president, have grown a network of more than 300 editors who provide document revision services to clients in business, academics and publishing.

Riopel and Magnani are another husband-and-wife team taking over the operation with plans for more growth.

The company will remain in Chatham after the acquisition with Riopel and Magnani relocating from Montreal. Both have MBAs from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.

LEDC sponsors job fair

Employers have an opportunity to connect with 1,900 job seekers at an upcoming job fair sponsored by the London Economic Development Corp.

The event is designed for employers who have open positions and employment agencies that advise, prepare and train job seekers.

The job fair will be held at the Agriplex in Western Fair District on April 25 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Another advanced fee loan scam is making the rounds. The Better Business Bureau of Western Ontario has issuing a warning about the Stride Lending Group.

The BBB and Crimestoppers Chatham-Kent has received multiple reports from across Canada that consumers have applied for loans online and after paying thousands of dollars for “insurance,” the promised loans were allegedly not received.

In Ontario, it is illegal for a company to request an upfront fee prior to obtaining a loan.

If you have been scammed, the BBB advises you to contact local law enforcement and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

This Week's Flyers

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.